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It was a secret only the rich and infamous knew about and tonight, I used it to my advantage. I knew where they’d meet because this city would always operate on cold hard cash. A few bills here and there, and I knew exactly how to get where I needed to be.
And for a few Benjamins, I was able to get an untraceable keycard.
Cillian was right, money didn’t buy happiness, but it bought the tools that brought happiness.
I stepped inside the room and startled at the figure standing by the lone source of light. “Jasper? What are you doing here?”
Arms folded, he glared at me. “What do you think I’m doing here? Trying to prevent you from doing something you’ll regret.”
“Regret?” I laughed. “They both have this coming, Jas. They earned it multiple times over. Fuck, they should both be grateful they made it another week. Or two.” I hadn’t told Jasper about my meeting with Mueller because he would have advised against it, tried to talk me out of it.
“Ma, this is a bad fucking idea.”
“Maybe, but it is also inevitable. This needs to be done and tonight it will be.” My mind was made up.
“Why?”
“I’ll tell you later, now get the fuck out of here. I came alone for a reason.”
“Unacceptable,” he growled as the electronic lock sounded.
At that sound, I grabbed the nickel-plated gun from my clutch and removed the safety.
Mueller walked in first, Bonnie just a beat behind him. They both wore conspiratorial smiles, so proud of themselves, thinking they were safe. Clear and free of the Ashby family.
They were wrong.
I had a whole fucking speech planned, but the look of shock and then fear on Bonnie’s face was enough for me. She knew she’d been caught and would have to pay the price.
“Sad—”
Before my name was out of her mouth for the last fucking time, I squeezed the trigger. One bullet, straight to the head.
Mueller thought he was safe, but I proved him wrong with another head shot.
Once I was sure they were both dead, I slipped out of the room, Jasper on my heels, and made my way back home.
To my family.
I let out a sigh as Thomas brought the Maybach to a stop a few feet from the front door, the memories of that night etched into my memory just like all the others. They were the faces I couldn’t forget, but that didn’t mean I felt any guilt for what I’d done.
I should feel guilty about Bonnie above all the others, but I didn’t. I was afraid for Calvin, about how he would take the news, However he responded to this, he would come around. I knew this. I couldn’t hide it from him forever, couldn’t kill enough people to ensure that certainty. Even if I managed to escape the long arm of the law, I could never escape the devastation I caused my son.
Couldn’t escape the hate I would see in his eyes when he found out I was the cause of the greatest pain of his life.
Still, knowing all that, I didn’t regret that night in the hotel. Didn’t regret doing what needed to be done to save my life. To save my family. Bonnie and Mueller had to die so the Ashbys could live and thrive.
Like Cillian always told me. “Sadie Rose, this world is survival of the fittest, plain and simple. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” That night, I won. Despite Bonnie’s betrayal, Despite Mueller’s efforts, I won.
I fucking won.
And I always would.
Chapter Fourteen
Sadie
Jasper looked around the dining room at all the faces he’d convened, no commanded to this dinner-slash-meeting on a non-Sunday, a scowl on his face, shoulders tighter than a virgin’s pussy.
He pressed off the table and started talking louder than usual to make sure we sat up and took notice.
“This is all a big fucking problem. Too big of a fucking problem.” His glare slid to me, and I had no doubt what he was talking about. “We need to make sure we know exactly what we’ll say when the cops or the feds, inevitably, question us. Make sure you know where you were and when.” He pounded a finger into the table. “With evidence to back it up.”
He meant those last words for Calvin, adding an expectant expression until his brother looked his way.
Calvin gave a short nod, his attention more focused on Ava Rose as it had been since the meeting convened. In fact, Calvin seemed to look just about any fucking where other than at me or his brother.
“Sure,” Calvin muttered. “Everyone tell me where you were, and I’ll scour the digital evidence to prove it, or I’ll manufacture it.” His words were right, but his emotions were…vacant.
I knew that look. Understood that feeling well. He was here, but he wasn’t.
Calvin was mentally checked out, going through the motions for the good of the family when he didn’t give one goddamn about us. About me.
